Saturday, April 18, 2009

Have you struggled to live up to the expectations of the good woman described in Proverbs 31? You're certainly not alone. That's why every Christian woman who desires to follow the example of the good woman must read How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? - Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas by Kathi Macias.

Follow Kathi's journey and struggle with Proverbs 31 as she discusses the natural progression of growing in grace. From our Christian infancy, through our toddling years, learning to run, and then finally knowing the comfort and peace of being back on our knees and totally dependent upon and surrendered to God, and knowing He will bring us safely home; Kathi shares her personal stories with humor and genuine compassion for her fellow Christians.

I willingly admit that I love Kathi's work. When I read Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World--which I reviewed here--I knew I would be a fan of Kathi Macias for life. And when I heard that she had a new book coming out, I didn't waste any time in letting Kathi know that I wanted to review it.

While very different in tone and style than Beyond Me, Kathi has perfectly captured the many struggles Christian women deal with when they consider and try to follow the example of the good woman from Proverbs 31; how overwhelming it can be and how often we try to take control when God is truly steering the ship. By choosing to tell this story in a funny and lighthearted way, the reader is eager to journey along with Kathi to see what she learned next and how to apply it to her own life.

At the end of most of the chapters is a section called "Making it Personal", which asks the reader questions that relate to the point Kathi has just discussed. She had something similiar in Beyond Me; but while I found them to very helpful in Beyond Me, they were distracting to me in this book because I wanted to keep going with this funny and lighthearted story that was subtlety teaching me what I needed to know. I ended up skipping them until I completed the book and then went back to review them once I was done.

Also included at the end of most chapters were Bible verses that referred back to the lesson, including one of my favorites: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."--Philippians 4:13.

The cover art for this book is wonderful. The side of a ship with a woman--who could be any Christian woman--looking out through the porthole--is a brilliant idea. The humorous Foreward is provided by Martha Bolton, Emmy-nominated songwriter and author of Didn't My Skin Used to Fit and Cooking With Hot Flashes, and a touching Afterword is written by Rhonda Rhea, author of High Heels in High Places, Purse-suit of Holiness, and Whatever Blings Are Lovely.

One last thing that truly made this a special book is the chapter that Kathi dedicates to her father, Hans. The reader finds a tribute to a beloved father from the daughter who prayed for him to accept Christ as his Savior; and who in his final moments, as he sang a song from his childhood, taught her so much about "resting and trusting in God's goodness for His children." Even as I type this, I can feel the tightening in my throat and the tears swimming in my eyes.

How Can I Run A Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? will make the perfect Mother's Day or birthday gift for the Christian woman in your life. For every Christian woman who has aspired to be the Proverbs 31 good woman, Kathi Macias has brought hope.

Title: How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? - Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas
Author: Kathi Macias
Publisher: New Hope Publishers
ISBN-10: 1-59669-204-9
ISBN-13: 978-1-59669-204-6
SRP: $13.99 (U.S.)